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Cisse - Black Cats wanted me

Papiss Cisse has revealed he could have been a Sunderland player before becoming Newcastle's new No.9 hero.

Last Updated: 27/04/12 10:13am

Papiss Cisse: Believes Newcastle's style of play suits him

Papiss Cisse has revealed he could have been a Sunderland player before becoming Newcastle's new No.9 hero.

The Senegal international striker arrived on Tyneside in a £10million move from Bundesliga strugglers Freiburg in January.

The 26-year-old had attracted interest from a number of clubs after scoring nine goals in 17 games, despite the German club being rooted to the bottom of the league at Christmas, and his move to Newcastle came about very quickly.

"Initially I was meant to be going to Bayern Munich," Cisse said in the Daily Mirror. "In the end it didn't happen.

"In England, Sunderland and Fulham wanted me. Then at the last minute my agent told me, when I was in Senegal, 'I've booked a flight to Paris, then Newcastle. If all goes well, you'll sign there'.

"The next day, I was there. By 5pm, I'd finished the medical, and by 8pm, I'd signed."

Style

The switch has been a huge success with Cisse scoring a remarkable 11 goals in his first 10 Premier League games for the club since completing his African Cup of Nations duties with Senegal.

And Cisse knew all about the side's capabilities before even making his debut - thanks to a DVD given to him by Newcastle manager Alan Pardew showcasing the team's style of play.

Cisse added: "As I was going to the Africa Cup of Nations, Pardew had prepared a DVD for me, which I watched every evening in my hotel room.

"It's the Newcastle style more than the Premier League that suits me. There are lots of French players here."

Pardew himself is baffled as to why there were any question marks about the player's pedigree before arriving in the Premier League.

The Magpies boss said on Thursday: "I am still mystified that people underestimated his CV before he came to us. He has been in the Bundesliga, scoring plenty of goals. He is a finisher.

"What he is getting at our club is more chances, more than he got at his former club. And we are on a great run. Put chances in front of him and he will score."